performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Vernon Handley, or below by the London Symphony Orchestra under Jascha Horenstein (this piece is featured on a list of pieces I heartily recommend to music directors for inclusion on their season programs. … Continue reading Simpson Symphony no. 3
performed by the London Symphony Orchestra under Richard Hickox, or below by the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland under Andrew Penny We had a chance to hear Arnold’s second horn concerto a few months ago, but he was yet another … Continue reading Arnold Symphony No. 1, Op 22
performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under Martin Yates in a world premiere recording, which you can purchase here. (Sorry, folks. No YouTube today either.) Richard Anthony Sayer “Tony” Arnell was born on September 15, 1917 in Hampstead, London. … Continue reading Richard Arnell: Symphony no. 4
performed by the New Russia State Symphony Orchestra under Alexander Walker, or below by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Myer Fredman It’s not the Gothic. Yet. William Havergal Brian was born 29 January, 1876 in Dresden, Stoke-on-Trent. Wikipedia says he “was … Continue reading Havergal Brian: Symphony no. 6 ‘Sinfonia Tragica’
performed by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra under Hans-Hubert Schonzeler, or below by the Hallé Orchestra under Sir John Barbirolli, in what is frustratingly only the last two movements. I highly recommend just purchasing the album it’s on, from iTunes) He … Continue reading Edmund Rubbra: Symphony no. 5
performed by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under Richard Hickox, or below by the London Symphony Orchestra under Sir Colin Davis Sir Michael Kemp Tippett was born on 2 January, 1905 in Eastcote, London. His father was a singer, or rather a … Continue reading Sir Michael Tippett: Symphony no. 1
performed by the Munich Symphony Orchestra under Douglas Bostock (this piece is featured on a list of pieces I heartily recommend to music directors for inclusion on their season programs. Check out the article here. I also featured it recently … Continue reading Ruth Gipps: Symphony no. 2
performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under André Previn, or below by the London Philharmonic under Bryden Thomson …Walton’s Symphony No 1 is a free, strong, individual utterance, as far beyond mere imitation as, say, the Brahms First is in … Continue reading Sir William Walton: Symphony no. 1 in B flat minor
performed by the Ulster Orchestra under Bryden Thomson As mentioned in Monday’s revisit article, I was so taken with Bax’s first symphony that I felt we would benefit from one more of his symphonies, but which? Well, of his seven, the … Continue reading Bax Symphony no. 4
performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Bryden Thomson (this piece is featured on a list of pieces I heartily recommend to music directors for inclusion on their season programs. Check out the article here.) It’s odd, you know. A few … Continue reading Revisit: Bax Symphony no. 1
performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Adrian Boult third and fourth movements here Ralph Vaughan Williams was born on 12 October, 1872 at Down Ampney, Gloucestershire to Rev. Arthur Vaughan Williams, of English and Welsh ancestry, with backgrounds … Continue reading Ralph Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony
performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Mathias Bamert Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, 1st Baronet was born in Bournemouth, the youngest of six children, on February 27, 1848. Three of his siblings died in infancy, and his mother died only … Continue reading Sir Hubert Parry: Symphony no. 3 ‘The English’
performed by the Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra under Douglas Bostock (in what is apparently a world premiere recording), or in a slightly garbly recording below from The Ulster Orchestra under Kenneth Alwyn (Please let’s be clear here. There are two symphonies … Continue reading William Sterndale Bennett: Symphony in Gm, op. 43
performed by the Milton Keynes Chamber Orchestra (apparently now known as the Milton Keynes City Orchestra) under Hilary Davan Wetton (Caveat emptor: if you download this recording from iTunes, as I did, there’s a maddening clicking sound most noticeable in the first and fourth movements. I’m … Continue reading Cipriani Potter: Symphony (no. 10?) in Gm
performed by Cantilena under Adrian Shepherd Thomas Augustine Arne was born on 12 March, 1710, in Covent Garden. The two generations of Arnes that preceded him were upholsterers, but it didn’t work out so well for his grandfather, who died in … Continue reading Thomas Arne: Symphony no. 4 in Cm
performed by the Staatskapelle Dresden under Rudolf Kempe, unquestionably the best recording of the work, in my opinion The death of this aspiring, idealistic, energetic artist is a grave loss… Strauss, on the death of Gustav Mahler Today’s work is … Continue reading Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie, op. 64
performed by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under Sir Neville Marriner, or below with The Academy of Ancient Music under Christopher Hogwood There are only two full sentences on Wikipedia for today’s symphony, and the first one, rivetingly, … Continue reading Mozart Symphony no. 21 in A, K. 134
performed by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under Sir Neville Marriner, or The Academy of Ancient Music under Christopher Hogwood This current era of Mozart symphonies we’re working through is when he composed what are referred to as the Salzburg symphonies, … Continue reading Mozart Symphony no. 20 in D major, K. 133
performed by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under Sir Neville Marriner, or below by The Academy of Ancient Music under Christopher Hogwood Let’s just ponder for a moment. Did you read yesterday’s article about The Young Mozart’s fifth string … Continue reading Mozart Symphony No. 19 in E flat, K. 132,
performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Pierre Boulez Es gibt doch nur eine VI. trotz der Pastorale. Alban Berg The sixth is a collection of questions, an enigma, a knot to be untied by repeated listenings and the development of your … Continue reading Revisit: Mahler Symphony no. 6 in Am
performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Pierre Boulez I recently featured this piece on a concert program alongside Mozart’s D minor piano concerto. Please go check out that article on my new Substack, where I do most of my writing … Continue reading Revisit: Mahler Symphony no. 5
Fugue for Thought 